


Trenchcoat

by StopLookingHere



Series: Fifty Two Levihan Fanfictions in Fifty Two Weeks [8]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - World War II, Bombs, Female Hange Zoë, POV First Person, World War II, hange makes an atomic bomb lel, i can't believe i put albert einstein in a fic, trigger warning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-04
Updated: 2016-03-04
Packaged: 2018-05-24 15:25:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6158058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StopLookingHere/pseuds/StopLookingHere
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>8/52: A war.<br/>Hange is involved in the Manhattan Project, and talks to Levi about it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Trenchcoat

**Author's Note:**

> this prompt honestly threw me for a loop at first
> 
> edit 26/10/2017: there's mentions of bombs and someone not realizing the full impact of their actions in here.

“Manhattan, you say?”

The first thing I registered after hearing the news of my deployment was that there was someone, neither male nor female, who was sitting outside my door and speaking rather loudly about a project I’d only heard about in whispers in times before. They weren’t particularly loud to be honest, it’s just I like the peace and sanctity of the morning and whoever this person was, well, they were obviously not adhering to the “tea before humans” rule. Besides, it was Saturday, a day for no class, and a day of selfish work.

But, that all doesn’t matter. The second thing that I registered after hearing the news of my deployment was that _holy shit, they’re talking about the Manhattan Project._ It wasn’t exactly a secret among people at our college, but it was not exactly talked about at this volume either. Besides, this was Chicago: what kind of people talked about important scientific discoveries out in the streets?

The third thing I did the after hearing the news of my deployment was yank open the front door to see someone at the pay phone at the end of the hall. Christ, couldn’t they keep it down? I was at the end, for goodness sake. Let us all sleep and go on with your overachievement somewhere else.

Whomever this person was, they made pretty damn sure to be both the most ambiguous and the most conspicuous person in the hallway. They wore a long, well-fitted dirty brown trench-coat that barely reached their ankles, for their height towered over me. Straps were tied around an equally dirty brown ponytail, with goggles visible on the top of their head, which sported an excited expression behind brown eyes. Under their coat, a white collared shirt and high boots over black pants sat, somewhat crumpled. For whatever reason, I still couldn’t discern if this was a male or a female, but they were most definitely one of those Nips. Either way, they were quite loud.

It’s a slight understatement that I was irate when I yanked the phone from this strange person’s hand and slammed it on the receiver, earning myself an offended look. I couldn’t help but scoff under my breath, for what kind of person speaks at… check the clock above the telephone… eight in the morning at this volume?

“You just hung up on Albert Einstein,” the person tries to make me feel guilty about this now by saying it in a hushed kind of voice. What a load…

“I beg your pardon, but I don’t care,” I reply to them. “Who cares who that Albert even is? That’s not something you should talk about in public, Nip.”

“You ought to know, Ackerman. You’re on the consideration list,” they’re definitely full of it now. Still, I’m intrigued by that statement. So, I inquire.

They adjust that stupid ponytail of theirs. “Oh, but you already know, if you know I shouldn’t talk about it. Have you considered yet that you do not have full knowledge of every variable in this situation?”

I haven’t. I just sit there and fume as they laugh at me.

“Either way, have fun here in Chicago. Really, the University is great here, and even if we never meet again, you’ll see me again one day. I’m off to New Mexico, some place…” they visibly roll their tongue around their mouth, preparing themselves to butcher the words. “ _Los Alamos.”_

They make me so angry, so I just frustrated run my hand through the front of my hair. It’s getting messy up there again. “What’s your name, Nip?”

“Zoe Hange,” their eyes lose their humor. “I’d appreciate if you didn’t call me Nip, Ackerman. I’m going to win this war for the Americans.”

“Boy like you ought to have a bit more pride for his country…” I can’t help but mumble.

Their laugh catches me off guard. “Boy? Oh boy, you’re nothing but a boy. You are going to call someone like me a boy too? You have got it coming.”

A second too late, I realize this is a girl. “Not too feminine for a girl. Hardly worth a penny.”

Zoe just shakes her head at me. “A girl’s going to win this war so you don’t have to go and die some bloody death. Have fun, Shorty Ackerman. You have nothing on me.”

She was right. Just a couple years later in July, we retreated so suddenly. I was afraid, so afraid, but I’d trained to be one of the best on our squad. Running away was never an instinct of mine. I won’t lie and say I didn’t know what was going on when we were asked to retreat. I knew, through some connection in my brain, when I watched the cloud mushroom into the sky, that this had been the work of the woman in the trench coat on a Saturday morning.


End file.
